The chip giant paid $40 million for Omek Interactive, Geektime reported on Tuesday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the agreement. Omek Interactive was reportedly in the crosshairs of both Samsung and Qualcomm, but it was Intel that snagged the firm.

Omek Interactive provides gesture-recognition technology for a wide array of products, including electronics, cars, video games, and casinos. The company's technology uses a sensor to determine a person's movements and then integrates that data into a target program. The technology works at long distances, similar to the way the Kinect or Wii behaves. Omek also developed a technology called "Grab" that works at close range with PCs.

In an e-mailed statement to CNET, an Intel spokesperson confirmed the acquisition but declined to provide terms of the deal.

"The acquisition of Omek Interactive will help increase Intel's capabilities in the delivery of more immersive perceptual computing experiences," the spokesperson told CNET.

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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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